Swan Song S5
by Bad Day at Black Rock
Summary: As the world comes to an end, the only option they have left is to let Sam say yes to Lucifer.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: These fics are based on real episodes from Supernatural. The characters and plots belong to the creator and writers for the show. If you want background on the OCs you can read the previous episodes.

Swan Song

She wasn't making this any easier. They'd been talking about it for over an hour, never making any new points, never making the decision more acceptable_. The decision._ That wasn't really true, because the decision wasn't there's to make. 'The decision' was to let Sam make his own decision, which was impossibly difficult for Dean, and of course they already knew what that decision was.

"I hate it. I hate everything about it." She couldn't even keep her voice from trembling as she spoke. "I hate that it has to be up to him, I hate that we can't tell him no, I hate that he's our only chance. Most of all, I hate that I'm glad it's not you."

He pulled her in closer as she shuddered against him; she was trying so hard not to lose it completely. "You're going to have a total meltdown when we do this aren't you?"

"It's a definite possibility."

"Let me handle it, it's not all going down right this second."

Kayla shook her head and visibly tried to calm herself. The stability of this calm was shaky at best; how do you tell someone that you won't stop them from committing suicide? "You don't have to do it alone."

He definitely wasn't going to argue, but nothing was going to make the discussion any better. "Let's go then."

They went downstairs and found Bobby in his office; in his usual spot finding the usual information. There was nothing else he would find, nothing that could keep them from proceeding with this plan.

"You seen Sam?"

"Yeah, he went outside awhile ago. I think I saw him taking beer to the Impala."

Outside, Sam was resting comfortably against the windshield with his feet up on the hood. He nodded to them as they approached.

"Hey guys."

"Hey." Dean grabbed a beer out of the cooler.

Kayla hopped onto the hood from the other side and slid in next to him, like they were about to cuddle up for a movie.

"You'll have to excuse her. Pregnancy hormones."

He could make fun all he wanted. She rested her head against his shoulder and in that instant she regretted the distance she'd let get between them. Every discretion, every mistake, every bad decision leading to the apocalypse was forgiven.

Sam smiled slightly. "Is this an intervention?"

"Far from it." Dean admitted.

"What's going on?"

He took a swig of beer. "I'm…_we're,_ in."

"In on…?"

"The whole, up with Satan thing, we're on board."

He looked surprised, to say the least. "You're gonna let me say yes?"

Dean grimaced and shook his head. "No see that's the thing. It's not on me to _let _you do anything. You're a grown, well, overgrown man and if this is what you want I'll back you on it."

Sam sighed. "That's the last thing I thought you'd say."

"It might be. I'm not gonna lie to you though, it goes against every fiber I got and as you can see," he motioned to Kayla. "Your biggest fan isn't overly enthused either. But I mean, watching out for you has kind of been my job. More than that, it's who I am. You're not a kid anymore Sam, and I can't keep treating you like one. Maybe I gotta grow up a little too."

Sam looked at Kayla but she had tucked her head down against him, trying to hide whatever emotion she had on her face.

"I don't know if we got a snowball's chance." Dean admitted. "But I do know if anybody can do it, it's you."

"Thank you." So it took the end of the world to finally get credit from his brother. Great timing.

"So if this is what you want, _is_ this what you want?"

He took a deep breath but he already knew the answer. It wasn't about what he wanted; to him it wasn't even a choice. It was just what had to be done. "I let him out. I gotta put him back in."

"Okay." Dean answered quickly before he could change his mind. "That's it then."

"Good talk." Kayla muttered and slid off the hood.

"Kayla." Sam tried to call after her, she was obviously upset.

"We support your decision!" She called back, trying to be funny but she wouldn't look at them.

"She'll be alright." Dean offered. "You know, eventually."

"Good choice with her." Sam smiled. "I think she's a keeper."

He shrugged. "There wasn't much choice really. She was gonna stalk me until I gave in, what could I do?"

He shook his head. "You're so full of crap, I don't know why she puts up with you."

"Yeah me neither." He smirked. "I'm glad she does though." They moved easily from the serious subject; they'd always been good at that.

Sam pulled two more beers out of the cooler and handed him one. "I guess this is our only chance then." He raised the bottle. "Here's to the engagement, and the baby. May he be blessed with a lot of Kayla's genes."

Dean laughed and tapped the bottles together. "Thanks man." It was the last time he would laugh in a long time, but it was going to be a hell of a memory.


	2. Chapter 2

Bobby did the research to find the nearest demonic omens and they drove out to find the unlucky bastards. Contestants one and two, come on down…

"You sure you're up for this?" Dean asked Kayla. "You're not gonna get nauseous on us are you?"

"I make no guarantees, but I'm in." What was draining a couple demons when it came to the end of the world, right? She was sure the nightmares wouldn't last _too_ long.

"Then let's go."

Dean and Sam went in first and the two demons were incapacitated before Cas and Kayla could even get through the door. Cas tossed Sam one of the ropes and they tied the demons by their feet and strung them upside down.

Kayla groaned quietly before sliding the trays underneath each demon. "This is charming, really."

But Sam wasn't wasting time. He took the knife and slit both their throats, causing rivers of blood to start flowing into the trays.

"Ew." Kayla walked over to Dean and he put an arm around her, letting her rest her head against him so she didn't have to watch. "How much do you guys need?"

"All of it." Cas answered. "We drain them dry."

As the trays became full they were replaced and the blood was siphoned into empty milk cartons. There were almost five gallon jugs filled before they stopped bleeding.

As they loaded the blood into the trunk, Dean walked over to Bobby. He had opted not to watch the carnage.

"I still can't get used to you at eye level."

"Funny. Was I right?"

"As always Yoda, two stunt demons inside just like you said." Bobby had gotten to be an expert on research since he couldn't hunt.

"Did you get it?"

"Yeah. All the go juice Sammy can drink."

"You okay?"

There was a long therapy session waiting to happen. "Not really, what do you got?"

He turned to the papers. "Well not much. These look like omens to you? Cyclone in Florida, temperature drop in Detroit, wildfires in LA…"

"Wait, what about Detroit?"

"Twenty degree temperature drop in Detroit, but only in a five mile radius of downtown Motown."

He looked at Kayla and knew they were remembering the same thing; Dean from the future, telling them about a big showdown between Sam and Lucifer in Detroit. "That's it, the devil's in Detroit."

"You sure? As far as foreboding it's a little light in the loafers."

"Yeah I'm sure. We better get on the road if we want to catch him before he moves."

He nodded in agreement. "I'll follow you."

Kayla watched him go into his van. "I'll sit in the back."

_So you can spend time with Sam._ The depressing sentiment didn't even have to be said out loud. "Alright."

Hours later Dean pulled into the gas station and glanced to the back seat where Cas was sleeping soundly, and loudly for that matter. "Oh, isn't he a little angel?"

"Angels don't sleep." Sam pointed out, as further testimony to his lack of powers. He glanced to Kayla, who apparently didn't sleep either. He handed her a folded up bill. "Tell them to put twenty on pump three, and could you grab me a drink?"

She didn't argue, knowing that he wanted to talk to Dean privately so she grabbed the cash and went inside. It occurred to her that she should have made some snide comment about being a slave driver, but nothing seemed funny right now. She couldn't even smile.

"Dude I got a bad feeling about this." Dean told him.

"You'd be nuts to have a good feeling about it."

"I mean it, Detroit. He always said he'd jump your bones in Detroit and here we are."

"Here we are, but..."

"Maybe it's Lucifer rolling out the red carpet, you know, maybe he knows something we don't."

"I'm sure he knows a butt load that we don't. You just gotta hope he doesn't know about the rings." He shook his head. "Anyway, there's something I wanted to talk to you about."

"I figured." He glanced to the store, where Kayla seemed to be taking her time wandering down the aisles.

"If this thing goes our way, and I triple Indy into that box, you know I'm not coming back."

"Yeah I'm aware." And he didn't appreciate the reminder. He'd get plenty of them later.

"So you gotta promise me something."

"Okay, yeah, anything."

"You gotta promise not to try to bring me back."

"What? No, your tour in hell is gonna make mine look like Graceland, and you expect me to sit around and do nothing?"

"Once the cage is shut you can't go poking at it, it's too risky."

"I didn't sign up for that."

"I'm sorry Dean, you have to leave it alone."

He couldn't believe he was hearing this. Just leave Sammy to rot in hell? "What the hell am I supposed to do?"

"Take Kayla and get the hell out of this line of work. Have barbecues, go to football games, let your son have the childhood we didn't get. Be _normal_ Dean."

Kayla pulled the door open. "I'm not waiting anymore." She had already pumped the gas and whatever Sam was telling Dean was apparently upsetting him.

"Come on." Dean motioned her into the car. "Let's get going."

She climbed into the back seat and shook her head at Cas, who was still passed out cold. "Guess he was exhausted after being awake for…hundreds of years."

"Yeah that's probably tiring." Sam answered.

Dean didn't respond; he was done talking. His eyes were fixed on the dark road in front of him.


	3. Chapter 3

Bobby came down the alley anxious and out of breath. None of this looked good and he'd had about all he could take of this damned apocalypse. "Demons, at least two dozen of them. You were right, something's up."

"More than something." Dean told him. "He's here, I know it." He walked to the back of the Impala where Kayla was leaned against the trunk, seemingly blocking his path. "Come on Kayla." His voice was quiet and she stood to walk further down the alley, away from the group.

Bobby approached Sam and knew this was most likely the last time he would see him. They just couldn't do goodbye. "See you around kid."

Sam nodded to him and didn't acknowledge the tears in his eyes. "See you around."

He hugged him tightly and stepped back. "When he gets in, you fight him tooth and nail you understand me? Keep swinging, don't give an inch."

"Yes sir."

He walked off and Sam wiped his eyes. _This is the right decision, stay focused. _He held his hand out to Cas and he grasped it tightly.

"Take care of these guys."

Cas sighed. "That would be impossible."

"Then humor me." He begged.

"Oh." He grimaced, embarrassed by his lack of human understanding even at this point. "I was supposed to lie. Uh, sure…everything will be fine."

"Just stop."

"Okay." He tried.

He stepped towards Dean and looked at Kayla, who was still avoiding contact with them. "Should I just leave her alone?"

She seemed to be going for that idea, but he shook his head. "She'll be more miserable, afterwards, if you don't say goodbye."

He was kind of hoping for a way out of that one. With a quiet breath he walked down the alley. "Well, you were right."

She humored him and focused on the street lights in front of her. "About what?"

"He can't be straightened out, but props on giving it one hell of a try."

The laugh wouldn't come, she couldn't even force it but she did smile. She had no idea what to say to him, what _could_ she say? He was going to hell to save the world. "I wish you didn't have to do this."

"You and me both." He'd gladly give the job to the next schmuck that walked by, assuming that he was Lucifer's vessel and juiced up on demon blood.

She wrapped her arms around him and closed her eyes. This wasn't one of his and Dean's fights, win or lose this could be the last time she saw him. "I love you Sam, and I know he didn't tell you but Dean does too."

"I know. I love you too. Take care of my nephew, and his dad."

"Just worry about you Sam." She shouldn't have avoided him at the house. Then this conversation wouldn't have be rushed, she could have told him all the right things, all the things you were supposed to say to comfort someone.

"It's gonna be alright, okay?" He kissed her on the forehead. "This is gonna work, and it's gonna be fine. Come on, come back to Dean." He wouldn't drag it out, he wouldn't make it any harder.

She followed him back to the car and grabbed Dean just as tightly. "Be careful."

"I'll um, I'll be with Bobby and Cas." She kissed him quickly, not lingering on the thought of goodbye and got into the van without another word.

Castiel saw her struggling and climbed into the back with her. "Are you okay?"

"Well I guess it depends on your definition. I'm better off than Sam." The tears seemed to flow more freely now that she was closed off.

"Kayla." But she wouldn't look at him and he felt like he should do something. He had been _feeling_ a lot of things in the last few days; it was new, but strangely agreeable with him. He didn't feel so lost. After a moment he reached over and took her hand.

The unprovoked act of comfort surprised her and she looked up at him.

"I know this is hard for you, and I would suspect that no one expects otherwise. But let this be the last time you allow tears for Sam Winchester. Dean is going to need your strength."

"He'll understand." Bobby told them from the front seat.

"Understand yes, of course." Cas agreed. "But you've known Sam for a matter of years whereas Dean…he raised him. You know what this will do to him."

Kayla nodded and took a long, trembling breath. He was right; Dean all but lost his sanity when Sam was killed. This time would be worse, they knew exactly where he was going and what would happen to him once he was there.

Above them, in an abandoned apartment, Dean and Sam had gotten a demon escort to see Lucifer. He was standing at the window, looking at the glass.

"Hello boys." He blew a light breath onto the window and it frosted over. "Sorry if it's a bit chilly." He began to draw a pitchfork in the frost. "Most people think I run hot. It's actually quite the opposite."

"Well I'll alert the presses." Dean told him, but quickly closed his mouth when Lucifer turned to look at them.

The fact that these boys didn't show fear towards him both amused and annoyed him. He approached them calmly and clasped his hands together. "Help me understand something boys. Stomping through my front door is a tad suicidal, don't you think?"

"We're not here to fight you." Sam practically growled at him; he was feeling overly confident with the tainted blood pumping through his veins.

"No? Then why are you here?"

"I'm here to say yes."

He paused. "Excuse me?"

Sam closed his eyes and the two demons behind them dropped dead where they stood. They didn't fight, they didn't scream, they just ceased to exist.

This was good. "Chalk full of Ovaltine are we?"

"You heard me. Yes."

"You're serious."

"Look, judgment day is a runaway train, we get it now. We just want off."

"Meaning?"

"Deal of the century. I give you a free ride but when it's all said and done, I live, he lives, Kayla, Bobby, and you bring our parents back."

He would only humor him for so long. "Okay can we please drop the tone? I know about the rings."

Sam shook his head. "I have no idea what you're talking about."

He stared at him blankly. Was he really going to try to lie to him? Lucifer? "The horsemen's rings, the magic keys to my cage…" he walked up to Sam. "Ring a bell? Come on Sam, I've never lied to you. You could at least pay me the same respect." He smiled. "It's okay, I'm not mad. A wrestling match inside your noggin, I like the idea. Just you and me, one round, no tricks. You win, you jump into the hole. I win, well, then I win. What do you say Sam? A fiddle of gold against your soul that says I'm better than you."

Sam could feel Dean's eyes on him and the aura of doubt between them. "So he knows, it doesn't change anything."

"Sam."

"We don't have any other choice."

"No."

Sam and Lucifer stared at each other, the challenge was on the table and neither one of them were backing down.

"Yes." Sam repeated.

Lucifer closed his eyes and the room filled with light. They shielded their eyes and when Dean opened them, Sam was passed out on the floor.

He pulled the rings out of his pocket and threw them against the wall. They stayed, and he repeated the words that Death had instructed him to. The wall caved in and started pulling the surrounding debris into a void, like the rings had created a sudden black hole. The sudden uproar woke Sam. "Sammy."

"Dean!" He groaned. "I can feel him!"

"You gotta go now," he helped him off the ground. "Come on Sammy."

He looked at him and into the void.

"Now!" Lucifer could take over any second.

Sam staggered to the opening and stopped, like he was trying to muster up courage. His body stilled, and he turned to Dean with serenity in his eyes. "I was just messing with you. Sammy is long gone." He turned towards the path back to his cage and chanted loudly. The opening closed back up and he took the rings. "I told you. This would always happen in Detroit."

Then he was gone. Lucifer had his brother. Sammy was gone.


	4. Chapter 4

Kayla stared at the television screens as they told the tales of Armageddon all across the globe. So this was it. After everything they'd done, everything they'd fought for all this time, the world was going to end in blood and death. Even if they lived to see the birth of their son, he would have no world to grow up in.

Cas sighed and walked away from the screens in the store window. "It's starting."

"Oh you think genius?" Dean snapped.

"You don't need to be mean."

"So what do we do now?"

He thought for a moment. "I suggest we buy copious amounts of alcohol and just wait for the inevitable blast wave."

Dean wasn't amused at his sudden defeat. "Yes, thank you for that. How do we stop it?"

He looked at him, a little confused as to why he just didn't get it. Stubborn was one thing, but his ignorance was showing. "We don't. Lucifer will meet Michael on the chosen field, and the battle of Armageddon begins."

"Okay, where's this chosen field?"

"I don't know."

"Well there's gotta be something that we can do."

The desperation came through in his voice and Cas ran out of excuses. "I'm sorry Dean."

He couldn't believe he was hearing this. They couldn't just sit back and let the world end, all of this had to be for something. Growing up a hunter, surrendering a normal life to suffer thanklessly for the sake of a tiny percentage of people, that had to be for something. "Listen to me you junkless sissy. We are _not _giving up. Bobby." He didn't answer him. "Bobby?"

Bobby looked at him with tears of lost hope in his eyes. The fighting attitude had left him. "There was never much hope to begin with."

He fought against his own tears. "Kayla."

"I don't know Dean." She raised her chin and tried to resemble some kind of confidence. "I want to fight, I do. There's just…I don't know what to do."

"We have to find the field." He said, thinking out loud. If they wanted to sit back and watch it burn they were welcomed to it. "Who would know the location?"

"The angels, but I'm cut off." Cas explained. "I'm sorry." He felt so completely useless. 

"Angels." His tone was clearly disgusted. "We know a half-angel."

Kayla looked at him. "Really?"

"Desperate times. Obviously."

"No kidding." She pulled her phone out and made the call. "Hey, Dom."

"_It's always Dom when you need something."_

"You know me too well."

"_I heard Sam said yes."_

"You heard?"

"_Lucifer is in his vessel. Everyone heard."_

"We're trying to find him, do you know where Michael and Lucifer are going to meet?"

A pause. _"You can't honestly still be pursuing this. Kayla, tell him it's over. Go home and enjoy the time you have left."_

"Please."

"_I don't know, honestly." _He sighed in surrender. _"But I'll check on it if the idiot insists."_

"Sooner, would be better."

"_Yeah no shit. I'll call you back."_

She put her phone in her pocket. "He doesn't know, he's looking in to it."

Dean grimaced. "That's incredibly comforting."

"If you only knew the rest of it." Even Dominic thought it was over.

"We'll think of something else." He saw her look and walked over to her. "I need you to be with me on this."

"I am. You _know_ I am." She'd follow him to the ends of the Earth, only this time it wasn't a cliché.


	5. Chapter 5

After another brief conversation with Dominic he still didn't know the location of the big battle, but claimed that the angels thought the prophet did. Dean had called Chuck, who actually did know the location, but nothing past that. He couldn't tell them who would win, or what would happen if Dean pursued Lucifer. They were just one step further down a treacherous path.

"I gotta get to Lawrence." Dean and Sam's birthplace, the last place they were normal. The place where their mom had died. The angels sure knew how to fuck with them.

"_We_, gotta get to Lawrence." She corrected.

He gave her that look. "You can't."

"Why? Because of the baby? Dean, it's the end of the world and you're not doing it alone."

"If something happens…" he sighed. "So far, I've completely failed at protecting you two."

"We're alive, and we've met Lucifer! I'd say you've done a great job." He shook his head in response. "I'll find a way to Lawrence, with or without you."

"Damn it Kayla." He muttered, but knew the argument was useless. If the situation were reversed, he wouldn't let her go alone either. "One condition."

"What?"

"You have to convince Dominic to come." At least he still had the power to zap in and out. Cas couldn't save them now if things went bad.

"Fine, I'll tell him to meet us there." She answered confidently, though she had no idea how excited he would be about facing his father at the epic fight. Dominic had betrayed him now several times.

"You're incredibly stubborn."

She smiled. "I learned it from the best."

He kissed her softly and ran his hand down her side. "I love you." Then he slid his fingers across the baby bump that had finally made its appearance. He couldn't just throw in the towel; he'd finally found a reason to live.

"I love you too."

"Let's go continue our suicidal path shall we?" He sighed. "We gotta get out of here before…"

"Going somewhere?" He couldn't have cued them better. Bobby approached, followed by Cas.

"If I said no, would you believe me?" Kayla asked.

"What's going on?" Bobby demanded.

Dean rubbed his neck, he didn't expect a great reaction. "I'm going to talk to Sam."

"You just don't give up do you?"

"It's Sam!"

"You couldn't reach him here," Cas explained. "You're surely not going to be able to on the battlefield."

He appreciated the bout of confidence. "Well if we've already lost, I guess I got nothing to lose."

"Yeah, nothing but time." Bobby growled at him. "You said you went to the future, and even though the world was shit, that was five years down the line and you were still around, still saving lives. You've got a family to take care of."

"There's a flaw in that." Dean's eyes darkened. "Kayla wasn't _in_ the future, she was dead, and there certainly wasn't our son. That's not a future I'm walking in to."

Cas grimaced, he felt like he actually understood what Dean was going through. "I just want you to understand. The only thing you're going to see out there is Michael killing your brother."

He had considered that. "Well then I ain't gonna let him die alone."

Kayla nodded to him as his eyes fell back on her. "Let's go." They didn't stop them.

_So this is what complete failure feels like. _Dean sped towards death with Kayla at his side; the insane woman who would follow him into the pit with a smile on her face. For everything she'd given to him, every ounce of strength and devotion, this is how he would repay her. Extermination of the planet. He had lead her and their son straight to the end of the world. Heads they lose, tails they lose everything.

"What about Sam?" Kayla said after awhile, pulling him out of this thoughts.

He thought this was all a given. "It's out of our hands, all we can do is try to get through to him."

"No, I mean for the baby. It's a family name, with Sam, and your grandfather and all."

He knew the conversation was a distraction, but he would take it. He'd take any distraction right now. Thinking about the certainty of your death took a lot out of you. Dean shook his head. "No Winchester family names. We're cursed."

"You're not cursed." She argued.

"I don't want him named after a hunter. I don't want him to live in anyone's shadow."

No family names, that certainly took a lot of choices out of the running. "Okay, no hunters."

"I leave the rest up to you."

She sighed. "How do you know I won't pick something stupid, or a wussy name that will get him made fun of?"

"Because I know you." He noted. "You'll find something perfect."


	6. Chapter 6

"We don't have time Dean." Kayla urged him. They were a mere two yards from the entrance of the cemetery; ground zero, where Lucifer and Michael were preparing to battle. It was the beginning of the end and he wanted to put on the breaks.

But Dominic hadn't showed. "Then we don't go."

"But…"

"No, if you don't have a guaranteed out, we don't go in."

"I won't get out, okay? You have to talk to Sam. I'll stay in the car."

He eyed her and wasn't sure if she was telling the truth, he wasn't sure it mattered at this point. They weren't exactly in a great spot for survival.

They drove slowly through the gates and saw them; Sam and Adam, Lucifer and Michael. Both were looking at the car, much less than amused at their appearance.

Dean stopped a few feet from them and got out. "I'm not interrupting something am I?"

They just stared, still not amused, but surprised nonetheless.

"We gotta talk."

Lucifer exchanged a look with Michael and looked at Dean. "Dean, even for you, this is a whole new mountain of stupid."

"I'm not talking to you, I'm talking to Sam."

"You're no longer the vessel Dean." Michael warned, trying not to lose his temper. "You have no right to be here."

"Adam if you're in there, I am so sorry."

"Adam isn't home right now."

"Well then you're next on my list Buttercup but right now, I need five minutes with him."

Kayla's hand was still on the door handle, she could hardly even sit still to listen to them. There was no way she'd make it sitting in the car.

"You little maggot." Michael growled at him. "You are no longer a part of this story!"

"Look who's talking _Michael._" Dominic stood beside Dean. He shoved his hands in his pockets, completely calm. "What's up guys? Big battle of the century, blah blah blah…I'm so sick of hearing about it. You're a couple of royal douche bags you know that?"

"Dominic." Lucifer tilted his head at him. "You have the nerve to show up here? In front of me?"

"Who me?" He shrugged. "I'm just the distraction."

"Hey, assbutt." They turned to see Castiel with a flaming bottle and Bobby standing beside him. He chucked it at Michael, who disappeared into a fit of flames and painful cries.

"Assbutt?" Dean stared at him.

"He'll be back, and upset. But you've got your five minutes."

"Kayla stay back!" He yelled as she stepped out, why the hell would she get out when Lucifer still stood?

But Lucifer was focused on Cas, his eyes burning with the rage of vengeance for his family. "Castiel, did you just Molotov my brother, with holy fire?"

His hands went up. "Ah, no."

"Nobody dicks with Michael, but me." He snapped his fingers and Cas exploded, spraying Bobby with the carnage.

"Take her out." Dean shot at Dominic.

"Hold that thought." Lucifer closed his fist and his son hit his knees and coughed blood onto the ground. "How's that feel? Huh? To be human again. You _disgust_ me."

His body was crippled in pain and he threw up another mouthful of blood. "Fuck you."

Lucifer kicked him in the face. "Help the Winchesters, bad enough. Then I hear that you…you're _involved_ with a hunter? That _my_ son has decided to change his ways? My son!"

He looked up at him, the fear now evident on his face. "She's not part of this."

"Augh!" He cried and turned his hand, Dominic spewed out the last of the blood he had in him and lay dead on the ground.

Dean had to focus his attention, he had to distract him from Bobby and Kayla. "Sammy, can you hear me?"

He turned to Dean, the arrogant smile was gone from his face. "You know, I tried to be nice, for Sammy's sake, but you are such a pain," he gripped his jacket. "In my ass." He threw him onto the hood of the Impala, cracking the windshield.

"Dean!"

"Stop!" He pleaded with her but she was coming towards them.

Lucifer waved a hand towards her and she gasped in surprised pain, clutching her stomach. His eyes turned back to Dean. "You would have made a shitty father anyway."

Shots rang out and he turned to Bobby; it was a futile effort to shoot the devil but he had to try something. With another turn of his hand Bobby's body painfully twisted and he fell dead, followed by Kayla.

"No!"

"Yes!" He jerked him forward and punched him in the face.

Dean spit the blood into his palm and turned back towards him. "Sammy are you in there?"

"Oh he's in here." He struck him in the face again. "And he's gonna feel the snap of your bones!" He hit him again and let him fall. "Every one." After he was back on the hood he leaned down. "We're gonna take our time."

The blows came one after another in a frenzy of dizzying pain and he almost lost focus. As the sound of his own bones crushing echoed in his skull he tried to speak through the river of blood. "Sammy it's okay." He gripped Sam's jacket. "It's okay I'm here, I'm not gonna leave you." He was hit twice more. "I'm not gonna leave you!" He prayed his brother could hear him, if nothing else just so he would know.

Lucifer drew back to deliver the final blow; he was ready to shut him up.

But Sam _had_ heard him. Suddenly Lucifer's mind was overrun with Sam's memories as he looked into the car they grew up in. The toy soldier he'd crammed into the ashtray was still stuck after all these years. They used to use the windows as their lookout point when they played. If you pulled back the upholstery, you'd find their initials carved underneath. When the heat turned on, they could still hear the rattle of legos that Dean had pushed down the vents.

This is what made the car. This is what made _them._ When Dean had rebuilt the car after the accident, he didn't touch any of them. Through every fight, every job, and even when Sam had abandoned him time after time, Dean had been there for him more than his own father. He was his brother, he had always been his only real family.

And he was killing him. Suddenly his body felt like his again. He released his brother and felt Lucifer inside his head, clawing his way through his mind, seething with rage.

"It's okay Dean, it's gonna be okay. I've got him." Sam pulled the horsemen's rings out of his pocket and tossed them onto the ground. The Earth opened up and revealed the portal into the pit.

"Sam." Michael was back. "It's not gonna end this way, step back."

"You're gonna have to make me." He yelled over the noise from the pit.

"I have to fight my brother Sam, here and now. It's my destiny."

Sam looked at his brother, who sat beaten and struggling for breath after what Lucifer had done. He may not even survive. Kayla was dead, along with Bobby and Cas. There was only one thing he could do to save all this from being for nothing. He took a breath and closed his eyes. His body started to fall into the violent tunnel, but someone grabbed his arm. It was Michael. Losing his balance, he gripped his arm out of instinct and both of them tumbled into the pit.

The portal closed and the rings lay on the grass, still burning fire red.

.

He wasn't sure how much time had passed. It was long enough for him to stop bleeding, stop crying, and definitely enough time for him to think about the things that would torture him the rest of his life.

Everyone he loved had been struck down by Lucifer, because of him. He had let Sam say yes, he had let Kayla come with him, he had let Bobby and Cas know where they were going. There was nothing left.

A hand on his shoulder made him look up and his heart stopped when Kayla smiled at him, looking flawless. "Are you dead?"

"No." She answered softly. "Though I definitely see how you'd come to that conclusion."

He followed her gaze and saw Cas standing beside her. "Cas you're alive?"

"I'm better than that." He touched his forehead and his pain disappeared, all traces of the blood were gone.

Dean stood and wrapped his arms around Kayla.

"Both of them are fine." He assured him.

"Cas are you God?"

He smiled. "That's a nice compliment, but no. I do believe He brought me back. New and improved." He walked over and touched Bobby, his eyes fluttered open. His gaze turned to Dominic. "His soul on the other hand, is out of my reach."

Dean looked at the rings of the four horsemen in his palm. They had stopped the apocalypse. What the hell do they do now?


	7. Chapter 7

They began driving to Bobby's to make sure he made it home. It was dark, and there wasn't a whole lot anyone could say. Cas had been riding in the Impala with them, though Dean knew it would be short lived. He didn't have to use human transportation anymore.

"So what are you gonna do now?"

He thought a moment. "I'll return to heaven I suppose."

"Heaven?"

"With Michael in the cage it's probably total anarchy up there."

"So what, you're the new sheriff in town?"

He smiled. "I like that, yeah, I suppose I am."

Dean wasn't laughing. "Wow, God gives you a new set of big shiny wings and suddenly you're his bitch again."

"I don't know what God wants."

"He should tell you." Kayla pointed out. "It's an incredibly abusive relationship you've got going, the child constantly striving to make the Father happy, and He won't even point you in the right direction or give you as much as a word."

He sighed. "If only it were so easy. This just seems like the right thing to do."

Dean shook his head. "Well if you happen to see Him, tell Him I'm coming for him next."

"You're angry."

"That's an understatement."

"He helped, maybe even more than we realize."

"That's easy for you to say, he brought you back. What about Sam? What kind of grand prize is that, my brother, in a hole?"

"You got what you asked for Dean." Cas told him. "No paradise, no hell, just, more of the same. If He hadn't brought me back, Kayla and your son would be dead. I mean it Dean, what would you rather have? Peace, or freedom?"

Kayla glanced to the back. "And he's gone."

He shook his head. "Still sucks at goodbyes."

"I'm sorry." She would do him the favor of not mentioning Sam's name.

The white came back to his knuckles on the wheel and he changed the subject. "I know how much you love that ranch property, I know it's the only thing from your family you kept."

She only nodded; she had wondered how quickly the conversation would come up.

"We can stay there for awhile sweetheart but when the time comes close, you know we have to go. That property has your name on it, it's got a paper trail and we can't just…we can't risk something coming after the baby."

"You think something will?"

"I think we've pissed off a lot of things over the years, and about ten times as many just in the last few months."

"It's not like they stand a chance." She stated defiantly. "I'd like to see something try to get to him."

He smiled faintly. "I know you don't want a constant battle."

"You want us to hide."

"I want us to stay low profile. We're gonna try this 'normal' thing people keep talking about."

"Normal." The world almost seemed an insult now, after everything. "Well, you did say we'd make awesome neighbors."

He raised an eyebrow. "When?"

"In the future."

"Can't argue with myself I guess."

Bobby gave them a proper goodbye once he was safe at home. They didn't know how long it would be before they saw him; Bobby would be hunting and they…well, they wouldn't.

Sam's final request was nothing but good-intended, but after all this time on the road it seemed so strange. No more hotel rooms, no more living on fast food. Dean and Kayla were going home.


End file.
